Automatic train-pipe coupling.



R. G. STROTHER.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1909.

' 935,944; Patented 0013.5,1909.

r I l /1 I 1 V 3 I v I,

. (1 LLLL M410 stem 19 is provided, arranged to projectforspring, being in abutment with the base wardly beyond the head, the valve-stem proper bein arranged to reciprocate in the forward guide 20. The valve stem 19 terminates rearwardly in a reduced portion 22 which is adapted to reciprocate in therear guide 21, and this reduced portion 22 is of sufficient length to extend rearwardly beyond the plane of gasket 16; The rear extremity of the portion 22 of the valve-stem carries a valve 17 arranged to engage the gasket 16, and to be supported by the rear end of thesleeve 14. This valve 17 is provided with a bleed hole 18' so that, after the valve 17 has become set as hereinafter described, the air will gradually flow from the service pipe 4 slowly setting the brakes and avoiding any sudden jars incident to a quick application of the same.

The portion 22 of the valve stem may be assembled with the valve 17 by means of a nut 23, and a compression spr ng 21, preferably helical in form surrounds the reduced portion 22 of the valve stem, and has terminal abutment at its rear extremity with the guide 21, and at its forward extrem1ty,w1th

' the rear end of the valve-stem proper 19. The head is provided with forwardly extendarms 25 being provided with flaring ends 27. The arms 25 extend. substantially the entire ing arms 25, oppositely disposed, and located approximately 45. from the vertical, these length of the head-and are assembled with the portions 11 and '12 thereof by means of bolts 26 which, extending through the arms 25 engage'each of the sections 11 and 12. It has hereinbefore been pointed out that the section 12 of the head is threaded into the section 11, this arrangement giving easy access to the valve mechanism. The valvemechanismis-carried by the portion 12 of the head and by rotating the head 12, the entire valve mechanism may readily be removed for cleaning and for re airs. In order, however, to prevent the portions 11 and 12 0f the head from becoming separated at inopportune times the arms 25 are bolted to each of said sections as hereinbefore pointed out, there- I by retaining the said sections in a fixed relationwith'respect to each other.

. It is obvious that the construction herein ,before described and involving the ball and socket joints 6 and 8 permits the head and g the main pipe 10 to reciprocate 1n the aperture 3 of the base plate 2 when a coupling is effected. In order to sustain the pipe 10 and the head in a position operative to effect. the

coupling, a helical spring 33 is provided, one end of which abuts against the base plate 2, the other end thereof abutting against the rear face of the section 11 of the head. This spring 33 may be of any shape; preferably,

however, as shown, it is conoidal in form and disposed about themain pipe 10, the base of H10- nnna determined bv the contour of the plate, the apex thereof bearing against the head. The conoida-l form'of the spring en: ables it to yield laterally to the degree necessary to effect a coupling upon a curve, and when the said spring is compressed its convoh' tions nest' within each other, thereby preventing the said spring from becoming broken through thecontact between its convolutions. In order to support further the head and the main pipe 10, a plurality of chains 28 unite the head with the base plate 2, the preferred location of the chains being clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The preferred means for assembling the rear ends of the chains 28 with the base plate 2comprise eye-bolts 29, the shanks of which extend through the base plate 2, the car body 1 being chambered for their reception. Slidably mounted upon the shank of the eye-bolt 29, and located between the base-plate 2 and the nut 32 which. iscarried by the rear extremity of the eye-bolt, is a sleeve 30, and surrounding this sleeve 30 and having ternunal abutment with the base-plate 2 and the nut 32, 1s a helical compression sprlng 31.

This spring 31, hearing against the nut 32,

serves to maintain the chains 28 taut, it being understood that the eye-bolts 29 are slidably mounted inthe base-plate 2. The sleeve 30 whichis adapted to contact with the nut. 32 when the eye-bolt 29 reciprocates in the baseplate, is adapted to prevent the spring 31 from bein unduly compressed and broken or killed v The air-brake mechanism of a car ordinarily includes'a stop-cock located intermediate the ends of the car, and beneath the car. This stop-cock is inconvenient of access, and as. an auxiliaryto the mechanism hereinbefore described, I have devised simple means whereby this stop-cock may be operated from a point without the rails of the track, the aforesaidmechanism for operating the stop-cock being shown in plan in Fig. 5. I

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, I have there denoted'generally by the numeral 39, the stop-cock-hereinbefore referred to. A yoke 34, comprising oppositely extending arms, is assembled with the stop-cock, oppositely extending rods 35 being terminally assembled ivotally with the terminals of the arms 0 the yoke. These rods 35 extend transversely of, the car body and are provided at their remote ends With-hand-holds 38 located at points within.easy access from beyond the rails. Hangers 37 depend from the car body, and in'these hangers the rods 35 are arranged to reciprocate, stops 36,

adapted to contactiwith the hangers 37, be-

ing carried by the rods 35. When it is de' sired to operate the stop-cock, the hand-hold 38 may be seized, upon either Side of the car, and a push or a'pull imparted to the rod 35,

the stop-cock thereby being opened or closed as maybe. The stops IA' contacting with the from being moved into an extreme position.

In Figs. 1 to t inclusive 1 have shown a mechanism whereby a train pipe is adapted equipped with a device of the character there. shown. the coupling means carried by the opposite ends of the car being identical in every particular. v

In practical operation. when two cars equi'pped'with the device o't my invention are brought into close relation. the flared ends 2T'of the arms will engage and interlock, the extremities of the valve-stem 19 *coming into-contact. compressing the springs and permitting the air to How readily through the service pipes 1. coupling is being eii'ected the spring 33 will be compressed to a greater or less extent depending upon the force with which the cars have come into contact; the ball pants (5 and 8 permitting the main pipe 10 to reciprocate in the aperture 3 of the base plate. The resiliency of the spring t3, after the cars have been coupled together. will maintain the gaskets it) and the valve stems l.) in contact with each other, until such time as the cars may become uncoupled.

:The train pipe coupling'hereii efore de- SC1lb9Cl,iS adapted to operate sati.- factorily under all conditions of train operation." It will effect a coupling with equal facility whether upon a curve or upon a tangent and after such coupling has been etlected, thedevice will maintain the air-pressure throughout the air-brake system without loss through leakage at points where couplings in the train-pipe are made.

Tie device is entirely separate from the means whereby the cars are coupled together, and a disarrangement of the coupling mechanism in no way injures the train pipe coupling which I have devised. In case of'a train breaking in two, the airbrakes are at once applied uch application however. as hereinbetore pointed out taking place without shock, the perforation 18 in the valve 17 being of the proper dimension to allow the air to escape gradually, cre ating a service actionon the triple valve, thus easily, and gradually applying the brakes.

Having thus described my invention What- 1 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, an apertured base plate arranged to be assembled with the end of a car body; a main pipe arranged to reciprocate in the aperture in the base plate; a head assembled'with one end of the main pine; valve mechanism 10- While this catcd within the head: a service pipe disposed out of axial alinement' with the main pipe: ball and socket joints assembled with the terminals of the main pipe and the service pipe: a pipe section uniting the ball and socket joints: flexible elements uniting'the to be coupled. It is ot course to be under- 1 Stood that each end of the car is to bt head with the base plate; and a compression spring having terminal abutment with the base plate and the head.

p bolt: a sleeve arranged to slide upon the -21, lifting the valves 1. tron: the gaskets 1t;

.the eye-bolt with the head: and a compression spring having terminal abutment with the head and with the base plate and disposed about. the main pipe.

3;}. In a device of the class described, an apertured base plate; a main pipe adapted to reciprocate in the aperture in the base plate: a head'carried by the extremity of the main pipe; valve mechanism located within the head; a service pipe disposed out of axial alinementwitli the main pipe; ball and socket joints assembled with the 0X tremities of the main pipe and the service pipe; a pipe section uniting the ball and socket joints; an eye-bolt arranged to reciprocate in thebase plate; a retaining element carried by the extremity of the eyeboltiz' a sleevev arranged to slide upon the eye-boltbetween the base plate and the retaining element; a compression spring surroundin the sleeve and having terminal abutmeiit with the base plate and with the retaining element; a flexible element uniting the eye-bolt with the head; and a compression springhaving terminal abutment with the base plate and with the head and disposed about the main pipe.

4. In a device of the class described, a head comprising separable tubular sections; a sleeve inclosedwithin one of the sections; a gasket peripherally inclosed between the ends of the sections and having abutmenta ainst the end of the sleeve; transverse guides located within the sleeve; a valve-' stem arranged to reciprocate in the guides and to protrude terminally from the head; a valve carried by the stem and arranged to bear against. the gasket and supported by the end of the sleeve; a compression stem and at the. other With a guide; a main air-supply pipe assembled w th the head;

spring assembled at one end with the valve'- v and means for yieldingly connecting the head and the main air'supply pipe with a car of the sections; a valve-stem arranged to reciprocate in the guides and to protrude terminally from the head; a valve carried by the valve-stem and arranged to bear against the gasket; resilient means for holding the valve normally against the gasket; a main air supplypipe assembled with the head; and means for yieldingly connecting the head and the main air-supply pipe with a car body. t

- (3. In a device of the class described, ahead comprising separable sections; valve-med anism assembled with one of said sections; arms projecting beyond the head; means uniting the arms with each of said sections to hold said sections in fixed relation with respect toeach other; a main air-supply pipe assembled with the other of said sections; and means for yieldingly connecting the head and the main air supply pipe with a car body.

' T. In a device of the 'bular head comprising a. pa r sections; a sleeve disposed within one of class described, a tuot separable said sections and provided at one end with a peripheralflange arranged to be clamped between the ends oi the sections; a gasket disposed between the' ends of the sections and arranged to bear upon the flange of the sleeve: transverse guides located within the sleeve: a valve-stem arranged to reciprocate in the guidesand to protrude from the head; a valve carried by the valve stem and an ranged to bear upon the gasket; a main air supply pipe terminally disposed within the head; and means for yieldingly connecting the main air supply pipe and the head with a cat. body.

8. In a device of the class described a tu bular head comprising a pair of separable sections; a sleeve disposed within one of said sections and providedat one end with a pcripheral flange arranged to be clamped between the ends of the sections; a gasket disposed between the ends of the sections-and arranged to bear upon the flange of the sleeve; transverse guides located within the sleeve; a valve stem arranged to reciprocate in the guides and to protrude from the head;

a valve carried by the valve-stem amlarranged to bear upon the 'a;-'ket; a main air supply pipe terminally disposed within the head; means for vieldin 'l v connecting the main air supply pipe and the head with a car body; and arm'sassemblcd with each of said sections to maintain the same in lixed relation with respect to each other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I HOLLAND tr. ts'llttyllililti lVitnesscs: i

l). ltortic, i W. i\. Moinns. 

